Disney now owns Marvel, and a host of new characters are now at it's disposal. What will Disney make of the new characters and stories it has acquired through this marvelous purchase? We may see some new TV shows in the future, and more super hero movies on the big screen -- not to mention a whole new cast of characters from which Disney can market line upon line of new merchandise. It's really a wonder how one company can manage so many different franchises.

As a writer in the field of children's and family entertainment, I am so interested to see where Disney goes with these new characters in theaters. Other studios, along with Marvel, have decided to take characters like Spider Man and make movies that are more suited for adults. Not that the movies aren't great, and a lot of the super hero movies are fun for older kids, but they kind of cut out a portion of the audience who still play with toys and would love to see their heroes on the big screen. I wonder if Disney will bring some new characters to the big screen in a PG way. Either way, it will be very interesting to see which character Disney chooses to raise up first, and to read all of the commentary and comparisons on the Disneyfied super hero movies versus those that have already made their big screen debuts.

Disney's latest animated fairytale, The Princess and the Frog, is still in theaters. But, there's already a lot of talk, and a few early images, going around about the next royal star. Who is the next princess to grace the big screen under the distinguished Disney banner? -- Rapunzel, of course, voiced by Mandy Moore.

Set for a wide release date of November 24, 2010, Disney describes the movie as a "comedic re-imagining of the classic Brothers Grimm fairytale." Unlike the classically animated Princess and the Frog, Rapunzel looks to be computer animated in a unique style. The movie boasts original music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Glenn Slater.

By the way, what is with this new trend of opening big movies in some areas prior to others? The practice makes sense for smaller films, but why is Rapunzel, a Disney film, scheduled for a limited release on November 12? Of course, we are early enough that the dates could absolutely change, so maybe the two dates won't stick. In the mean time, we who reside in the middle of America are going to have to keep an eye on this.

Anyone plan on making TV-related resolutions? Maybe you want your kids to watch less TV, or make TV time more educational. Maybe your family will be making goals about getting active and spending more quality time together -- things that the TV tends to hinder. As with any resolution or goal, it's important to have a plan. If you want the family to spend less time being couch potatoes, what will everyone do instead? Make a list of activities to do instead of watching TV, and put the list in a place where everyone can see it.

At our house, we have a jar of "Boredom Busters." The kids can go and randomly pick out a piece of paper that lists a fun activity to do. This works about, hmm... %50 of the time. But the other half of the time, what I've figured out is that they need time with me. It generally means that I've been working or cleaning or whatever for too long, and they're done entertaining themselves. So, I can turn on the TV to babysit them, or I can sit down and play with them -- which is what my resolution is about. I want to spend more time just playing with my kids. There will come a day, after all, when they won't want me to play with them that much any more, and then how I will wish for these days. So, 2010 is going to be a year of family fun and family adventures, but of course, we will still have our weekly movie night!

TV Resolution Tips:

• Healthy TV Habits
• Effective Co-Viewing
• Use TV for Good

Making resolutions feels good and is a great way for the family to pull together. For more parenting-related resolution ideas, visit the About Parenting Blog Carnival on New Year's resolutions.

Happy New Year!

Christmas is over, New Years is upon us, and the next fun holiday for kids is, of course, Valentines Day. New on DVD today from WordWorld is a great title that preschoolers (and their parents) are sure to LOVE: WordWorld: My Fuzzy Valentine. Kids get a kick out of the silly animals and their antics in this educational TV show, and parents love that kids are learning to read as they watch. This new Valentines-themed title contains two lovely episodes:

• "My Fuzzy Valentine": SHEEP decides to make a special Valentine song for her pal BEAR.

• "The Love Bug": BUG wants to sign a Valentine for his favorite WordFriend, but he has to learn how to write his name first.

And to start off DVD/Blu-ray releases for next year, available next week are:

• Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs on DVD & Blu-ray
• The Backyardigans: Join the Adventurers Club
• Thomas & Friends: Splish, Splash, Splosh!
• Barney: Please & Thank You
• Winnie the Pooh: A Valentine for You Special Edition
• Nick Jr. Favorites: We Love Our Friends